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The world in our classrooms

Gail Jardine co-ordinates the Bridge to Teaching program which helps newcomer teachers move toward recertification to teach in Alberta.

Photograph by: Colleen De Neve
, Calgary Herald

When Daniela Domniteanu immigrated to Canada in 2004, she had no idea how much effort it would take to have her teaching career recognized and certified in this country.

After working odd jobs for a few years, she enrolled in a Master's degree program in French, Italian and Spanish at the University of Calgary where she found out about the Bridge to Teaching program offered at the institution.

"It was a very long process," says Domniteanu. "It took some researching. I got an assessment in June of last year and they (the Alberta Education Professional Standards branch) told me I needed to get lots of credits to enter into the teaching certificate."

It took a few years and a lot of work to gain her certification but she's now a teacher in Calgary and looking to continue furthering her career.

"It's about meeting the right people, being aware, researching and inquiring as much as you can," she says. "I was so happy to be admitted to the (Bridge) program. It was a gift or blessing."

Gail Jardine, who co-ordinates the program at the U of C, designed it to make it as easy as possible to navigate the sometimes complex process of getting certified.

It includes two five-week practicums, four courses specifically on teaching in Alberta, and two courses focused on the core teaching principles in Canada.

Last year, Alberta Education provided $160,000 to cover scholarships for students who were internationally trained in teaching, as well as a living allowance to assist them while they work toward their accreditation.

It's part of a five-year strategic plan that is one piece of the Education Sector Workforce Planning Framework for Action.

"It is intended to serve as a roadmap for change in the endeavour to provide students in Alberta with access to high-quality education professionals," says Satinder Dhillon, a spokesperson with Alberta Education.

"It articulates key challenges facing the education sector workforce and offers strategic recommendations aligned with the vision of having the right people with the right skills in the right places at the right times to meet the needs of learners," she says.

When Domniteanu graduated from the program in June of last year, she was happy to have finally obtained the paperwork she needed to pursue her passion for teaching.

"I was very pleased at graduation," she says. "It came at the right time for me."

The Bridge to Teaching program is an evolution of a previously designed program by Jardine called the Transitions to Alberta Classrooms initiative.

Alberta employs about 600 to 700 teachers who come from other provinces and territories or other countries. This program is seen as a way to address the future needs of a teaching population that is aging along with the general demographic composition of the country's workforce.

Hiring teachers from abroad is not just a way to fill the need for teachers but adds to the student experience, says Jardine.

"It enriches our community - because it's a multicultural experience, which Canada is so strong at respecting," she says.

Out of 17 teachers who graduated from the Bridge program among the last cohort, 10 have been hired as substitute teachers and others as teaching assistants. "More and more, they have something unique to bring because - sometimes they come from the same country and culture as the students in the class," Jardine says.

In an era of globalization, the need to connect Canadian students to perspectives from abroad - whether it's teachers or other students via the Internet - and developing an understanding of other cultures is essential for a well-rounded education.

In addition to this program, Alberta Education is aligned with the Foreign Qualification Recognition Plan for Alberta, which identifies strategic actions that support similar initiatives designed to prepare foreign-trained immigrants to meet local standards, says Dhillon.

Domniteanu says that, while she could have given up or pursued other lines of work, it was her genuine passion for teaching others that led her to find a way to get her credentials recognized in Canada.

"I just wanted to make sure I met all the requirements to become a certified teacher," she says.

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